October 2018

CAT SCOUT JAMBOREE

Jamboree Recap

One, two, three…I went to my first Jamboree. Three, four, five…I had a great time, and that’s no jive! Five, six, seven…We went to Camp Sammy Kimmell, and it was heaven. Eight, nine, ten…I absolutely can’t wait to go again.

Mauricio and I had a terrific week at the Cat Scouts Jamboree. We went on a tide pool excursion and a nature walk, had a signaling class and participated in fun activities planned by the various patrols. But the best part of the entire week was the Closing Ceremony on Saturday night. So many surprises, which is what inspired us for yesterday’s Sparks post.

Awards

Award winners of various competitions were announced first. Our Wolverines Patrol Leader Gracie won the participation award. She works so hard on all our events and really deserved this honor. The awards for the Wolverines continued. Maggie won a trophy for completing the Knowledge Bowl quiz the fastest and Mau won a trophy for having the highest score (85%) on the Knowledge Bowl quiz. (Mau will share a photo of his trophy when he receives it.) I am proud of my older brother and the Wolverines. The Patrol award for the best average score in the Knowledge Bowl went to the Wolverines as well. Wolverines rock!

Promotions

The next event on the schedule was promotions. I knew I had met all the requirements to be promoted from Tenderpaw First Class to Bobcat, but no promotion is guaranteed. One of our Wolverine Patrol mates, Ætheling, was called up by Denmaster and received his promotion to Bobcat. Then Teddy (Angel Scout Sammy’s younger brother), Chip and I (the Three Gingersnaps, as we are known) were called up together. That seemed weird and really scary, especially when Denmaster said we were not being promoted to Bobcat. Say what? Not being promoted. After a pause, she told us we were being promoted to Cougars. We skipped an entire rank. That was the most amazing surprise ever! My head is still in the clouds.

 

Cat Scout Jamboree promotions

The Gingersnap Scouts

Transfer of Leadership

The final ceremony of the night was difficult for all Scouts, especially Mauricio. Angel Sammy Kimmell stepped down as Leader of the Worldwide Wildcats Troop (aka Troop 1) and passed that position on to Mau. Sammy was and still is Mau’s best friend and was the Best Man when Mau and Allie were married. Sammy has been the only Leader of Wildcats, and Mau has been his assistant. Though Angel Scout Sammy has promised to continue to visit Scouts, everyone was super sad to find out he was stepping down.

I know Mau will work hard as the new Leader of Wildcats. He knows, however, he can never and doesn’t want to take Sammy’s place and will be unable to fill his paw prints. Sammy was one of a kind! We love you our special, angel friend.

That’s all the big news from the Cat Scout Jamboree. I know this is not of interest to all our readers, but at the same time maybe it will inspire others of you to consider joining Cat Scouts. If interested click on the link in the previous sentence. You won’t regret it. It is great fun!

Purrs and paw-pats, Cougar Cat Scout Cooper Murphy

We are joining the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. Click their badge to join the hop.

 

A SPARK OF SURPRISE

Sparks

Cooper Murphy and Mau suggested we present a Spark about “surprise.” They both received some surprises at the Cat Scouts Jamboree Closing Ceremonies on Saturday night. As promised yesterday, they will tell you all about that tomorrow. But for today, here is the Spark they selected.

 

Sparks - Surprise

 

This is another of Dad Tom’s photos. It, however, was not taken this fall. It is from October 24, 2017. The photo was taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Peaks of Otter, Virginia. The town of Montvale is in the distance.

The author of this week’s Spark, Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen, was a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian. His interests were rooted primarily in psychology, pastoral ministry, spirituality, social justice and community. After nearly two decades of teaching at academic institutions, including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School, Nouwen went on to work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to his death in 1996 at age 64, Nouwen published 39 books and authored hundreds of articles. His books have sold more than seven million copies worldwide and been published in more than 30 languages.

Sparks badgeSparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend, Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). Annie is taking a “break” from blogging, so there is no hop. Many of us still continue to post a Spark on Monday, as we believe in Annie’s vision: “I believe we are meant to be lights in this world. If we allow our light to shine, we can see where we are going. It is then that we can begin to truly see each other clearly. Together, we can light up the entire world!”

Sunday Selfies Hop Problems

Please accept my apologies for the problem yesterday with the blog hop. When I got up in the morning I had an e-mail from the developer that Linky Tools was working. I added the hop to the post at that time. Though I promised to add those to the hop who left the link to their post in the Comments, I was only able to do that for a few participates. In most cases Linky Tools would not accept the links I entered. If you would like to check if your link is included and add it if it isn’t, click on the link to yesterday’s post at the bottom of this one.

Thanks for understanding that sometimes technology just DOES NOT work.

 

 

SUNDAY SELFIES: HALLOWEEN EDITION

Sunday Selfies: Week # 220

We guess the goblins have released our site, as the link to add your selfie, is now open. It seems that if Mom had just stayed up until a little after 2 a.m. she could have gotten it set up. Anyhoo…we will make certain that all who have visited will get  linked up. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Halloween Giulietta - 2018

BOO!

 

Did I scare you? Probably not. Mom says that I am too pretty too be scary. But I can be if I try hard enough. Some of you may remember this Halloween photo from 2016 when I played Countess Catcula.

 

Countess Catcula Giulietta - Halloween Giulietta 2016

YIKES!

Anyhoo…I am delighted to be your host this week for selfies. Being quiet and shy, I don’t take selfies very often.

I also am happy the Cat Scouts Jamboree has concluded, except for breaking camp in the morning. Cooper Murphy and Mau have lots of big announcements with regard to last night’s Closing Ceremonies. But I am going to let them tell you all about it on Tuesday.

The good news for the remainder of Kitties Blue is that now we will be able to visit all of you and find out what has been happening at your house and in your lives.

Blog Hop

Now it’s time to hop. Share a Halloween-themed selfie if you like. Here’s all those little tips for hopping Mom wants us to share.

  • The link to add your selfie to the hop is below.
  • You also will find below the code to use if you’d like the hop to appear on your blog.
  • Posting on Sundays is not necessary to join.
  • You do not need to be a cat to enter. All anipals are welcome regardless of species.
  • The hop remains open for entries through Thursday midnight.
  • Please be so kind as to display our badge and/or link to The Cat on My Head.
  • Take the opportunity to visit some of the other hop-alongs and make some new friends or reconnect with some old ones.

Hope to see lots of you today. Mom and all the Kitties Blue really appreciate your support, friendship and participation in our hop.

Purrs and paw-pats, Giulietta



COLD NIGHT SNUGGLE

Caturday Art

This is a quick post today featuring our art. Mom is still busy with Mau and Cooper Murphy and their Cat Scout Jamboree activities. Last night they both competed in the Knowledge Bowl. Just one big event remains…promotions. Cooper Murphy has his paws crossed he’ll be promoted, as he’s completed all the requirements.

Anyhoo…here I am in another snoozy photo. This time I am accompanied by Sawyer. I’m sharing two “arty” versions, as I could not decide which I like best.

 

Cold Night art #1

 

Cold Night Art #2

 

Both versions began by adding the Cold Night effect with Picas, which seemed appropriate, as a cold night is what made the original photo possible. The first version has the flux effect and cloud overlay from piZap. The second version also has the flux effect and then a border of pink flowers from piZap.

Cold Night snuggle with Misty May and SawyerIf you’d like, let me know in the comments which is your favorite.

Here’s the original photo of Sawyer and me.

Sawyer and I are joining the blog hop on Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s blog. To join in the fun, just use one of the free on-line photo-editing tools to “artify” a photo, post it on your blog and then click on Athena’s badge to pop over to her blog and add the link to your post.

Sunday Selfie Hop Reminder

OMC…another week has flown on by. We’ve been decorating our selfies for a few weeks now for Halloween. Whichever of the Kitties Blue is her as your host tomorrow will do the same for the last time this year. Consider joining in with a special Halloween selfie if you’d like. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces tomorrow.

Purrs and paw-pats, Misty May

 

BLACK CATS ROCK!

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #128

Friendly Fill-Ins Week #128Two of our angel Kitties Blue are joining the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop hosted each week by Ellen (15 and Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). Each Thursday, you can find four sentences to complete on their blogs. Then on Friday we post the filled-in sentences to share some information about ourselves with our fellow bloggers. If you’d like to take part, click on the Fill-Ins badge.

My completions are in teal italics.

1. Cleaning litter boxes is an awful chore, especially in a house with eight cats.

2. I always read the Business sections of the newspaper on Sundays.

3. Black cats are special and should be adored.

 

Friendly Fill-Ins - Thelma and Twinkle

Our beautiful black panfur angels, Thelma & Twinkle.

 

4. Candy Corn is my favorite treat this time of year; though, I rarely buy it. It is straight sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Angels Thelma and Twinkle are joining the Feline Friday blog hop at Comedy Plus as well. Click on the badge below to go there and enter your link.

 

ICE CREAM DREAMS

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Thursday is always a favorite day of the week for us. It’s the day we get to join up with our friends, Angel Sammy and Teddy, (Two Spoiled Cats) and write a poem.

The inspiration photo they provided for this week brought back lots of memories from my childhood. Though the children in this photo look as if they are from my parents’ generation, the ice cream truck was no less a part of my young life. I suspect most of you have similar memories to mine, so I hope you enjoy my poem.

 

Ice Cream truck

 

Ice Cream Dreams

Ice cream is the ultimate treat.
It’s super yummy and good to eat.
The ice cream truck’s melodic tune
Makes me want to grab a spoon
And head right to my freezer,
As if I have a raging fever.
But I’m not looking for an ice pack,
I just want an ice cream snack.
As a kid I liked Fudgsicles best.
If offered one, I always said, “yes.”
Now I like a variety of flavors
And always take time to savor.
Peppermint, Oreo, butter pecan,
I could eat each by the gallon.
Pumpkin is available this time of year.
Eating it I could make my career.
But ice cream no longer agrees we me,
So now I only can eat it sparingly.
But my memories from a distant time
Come flooding back when I hear that chime
Of the ice cream truck in the neighborhood,
When those Fudgcicles tasted oh so good!

© Janet Buickerood Blue 10/24/2018

 

I thought it would be fun to include a collage of a family member who also enjoyed ice cream. Unless your new to the blog, you saw this photo in the summer of 2017.

 

Lily Olivia eats ice cream

 

Lily Olivia was cleaning every last drop of ice cream from the empty carton. I miss my angel everyday, so I am happy to be able to share her with you again.

If you’d like to write a poem and share it, click on Sammy’s poetry badge. You can leave your entire poem or the link to your post in a comment. Even if you don’t want to participate, stopping by Two Spoiled Cats to read Sammy’s poem is always a must. He transmits it each week from the Rainbow Bridge, and his poems are always a winners.

 

Thankful Thursday

We also like Thursday as we are able to let you know for what we are thankful.

Mau and Cooper Murphy are happy and grateful that I am taking the time to act as their secretary this week as they participate in the 2018 Cat Scout Jamboree. Personally, I am pooped already, but I’d never let them down.

I am grateful that our blog has been recognized in the Top 25 Cat Blogs at CatMania.net. It’s always a good feeling to know others find our blog enjoyable and worth visiting and reading. And it helps keep me motivated on the days when I don’t feel like writing.

Unfortunately Sawyer’s days and weeks of being seizure free came to an end Tuesday night with two, back-to-back, focal seizures. Nevertheless, Dad Tom and I remain thankful that he is no longer having the grand mal seizures, and that he had a string of several weeks with no seizures.

We are particularly thankful to have all our wonderful blog friends and supporters. With the Cat Scout Jamboree, Kitties Blue haven’t been able to do much visiting this week, but they’ll get back to a regular schedule very soon.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by our friend, Brian. To join in, post for what you are grateful and then click on Brian’s badge to go to his post and join the hop.

 

We’ll see you tomorrow for Friendly Fill-Ins and Feline Friday.

 

 

DREAM, CONVICTION & DESTINY

Sparks

 

SPARKS

 

Stuart W. Scott, the author of today’s Spark, is an associate professor of Biblical Counseling at Southern Seminary. He has 30-plus years of experience in counseling and pastoral ministry, including 10 years as associate pastor of family ministries and counseling at Grace Community Church. Scott also served on the faculty of The Master’s College and Seminary in the area of biblical counseling. He is the author of several books, among them, The Exemplary Husband; From Pride to Humility; Biblical Manhood; Communication and Conflict Resolution.

This is another of Dad Tom’s photographs taken at the Chihuly exhibit at the Biltmore in Asheville, N.C. This was actually my favorite of all the installations.

Sparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend, Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). Annie is taking a “break” from blogging, so there is no hop. Many of us still continue to post a Spark on Monday, as we believe in Annie’s vision: “I believe we are meant to be lights in this world. If we allow our light to shine, we can see where we are going. It is then that we can begin to truly see each other clearly. Together, we can light up the entire world!”

I am also joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. Click on their badge to join. This photo might not be an adorable, floofy animal, but I believe it is definitely “Awww” worthy!

 

LISBETH & FRIEND: SPOOKY SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week # 219

 

Sunday Selfies

 

When Mom was looking through photos, she noticed that the meatloaf is my go-to position for most of my photos. What can I say…it’s comfy. Usually I don’t have another kitty sitting so close to me, as I am not particularly sociable. But then this afghan kitty doesn’t expect anything of me.

With Halloween just a little over a week away, I’m trying to look a little spooky. Did I frighten you?

Blog Hop

That all I have to say today, so it’s your turn to show us your selfie. And here’s all those little tips for hopping  Mom wants us to share.

  • The link to add your selfie to the hop is below.
  • You also will find below the code to use if you’d like the hop to appear on your blog.
  • Posting on Sundays is not necessary to join.
  • You do not need to be a cat to enter. All anipals are welcome regardless of species.
  • The hop remains open for entries through Thursday midnight.
  • Please be so kind as to display our badge and/or link to The Cat on My Head.
  • Take the opportunity to visit some of the other hop-alongs and make some new friends or reconnect with some old ones.

Purr and paw-pats, Lisbeth (with love and kisses to Charles)